SSS-Grade Cafe in Front of The Dungeon

The slime caught in the net completely melted and rained down through the blue lights of the exit gate.

[You have defeated the boss monster ‘Iridescent Giant Slime’]
[Tutorial Dungeon—Special Hard has been cleared.]
[You have reached Level 5.]

Almost at the same time as the notification appeared in front of my eyes, a blue light surrounded me.

“I’m back….”

It was night inside the dungeon, so I couldn’t know the exact flow of time, but half a day passed and it was evening when I stepped out of the gate. The sunset dyed the stone walls of the Great Dungeon red.

“We cleared it somehow.”

I took off my windshield and was breathing hard, but Ki Yoohyun didn’t look tired at all. We ran together, but why am I like this? As expected, is it lack of exercise?

In any case, the purpose has been achieved.

“Thank you for today.”

“I … thank you for coming with me.”

“Come to the store in a few days. I’ll make you a nice cup of coffee.”

Wait, 10 million won.

Ah, no, it just popped out of my head. Wait for me, Americano.

And on the way back to the store after saying goodbye to Ki Yoohyun, I realized that I had forgotten something important.

Ah, I didn’t eat the gimbap.

***

Dukduk.

The room was just as quiet as when Ki Yoohyun came out.

After checking once again to see if there was anyone through the window, Ki Yoohyun carefully put his body in.

Just when he was about to silence the sound of his footsteps and sat on the chair inside, the door suddenly opened.

“Guild leader, where have you been!”

“E-ehem, what’s going on, Hunter Han Yiseong. I’ve been staying still like this.”

“Take the leaf off your shoulder and speak again.”

Ki Yoohyun hurriedly took his hand to his shoulder and tried to shake off the evidence of going out. However, there was not a single dust on his shoulder, let alone a leaf.

“It’s a lie.”

…. He got caught.

“Don’t make excuses. I knew you were out.”

Knowing that Han Yiseong had already been convinced, Ki Yoohyun shrugged his shoulders.

“….The twins are all on fire.”

Han Yiseong, the deputy guild leader of Cheongna Guild and the one who’s in charge of external affairs, used to have a headache because of the guild leader who often disappears whenever he takes his eyes off him.

No matter how much external affairs Han Yiseong is in charge of, there are cases where approval from the guild leader is required.

However, it was impossible to keep an eye on Ki Yoohyun all day while he was busy with his original job.

So, instead, he put the twins Joo Shinwoo and Joo Shinhee as watchmen. The twins, who joined the guild relatively recently as A-class hunters, admire Ki Yoohyun and have no urgent missions right now. They’re the most suitable watchdogs.

“Follow him like a leech.”

“Yes!”

“Just trust us.”

He believed in the twins who nod with their bright eyes.

Still, Ki Yoohyun disappeared again, avoiding the eyes of the twins who kept following him. The twins couldn’t say anything harsh to him because he’s the guild leader they admired so much, even though it’s okay to be more strict with the guild leader who keeps slacking off.

Again today, the twins ran and confessed that the guild leader had disappeared.

In the end, Han Yiseong got involved again. Although he is ten years older than Ki Yoohyun, they had known each other before the establishment of the guild, and he was the closest person to Ki Yoohyun in the guild.

However, by the time Han Yiseong found Ki Yoohyun, he had already entered the tutorial dungeon.

“….Do you know how hard it was to control the area around the tutorial dungeon?”

“I had no choice because no one in our guild would go with me.”

“You call that a reason? Do you have a conscience or not?”

Han Yiseong touched his forehead.

The current guild leader and the No. 1 Hunter. That fact alone is difficult enough, but he suddenly asked to go to the tutorial dungeon for beginners. What would the others Hunters think when they heard that?

If it’s a company, it’s like the boss suddenly calls out and makes you a cup of coffee….

“Are you having a hard time these days?”
“Still, Director Kim has a very nice personality. I really like Director Kim.”

It’s like saying the same thing.

“Maybe the guild leader … is he going to cut me off? I was late in using my skills before, I’m not helping….”

“Does it mean that my level is only suitable for the tutorial dungeon?”

“Uhuk, I’m sorry. I’ll listen carefully to the tutorials and come back!”

If that’s the guild leader’s will, then I will retire. It was also Han Yiseong’s job to calm the guild members who said they would lock themselves up in a certain mountain for training.

“….does it bother you that much?”

Han Yiseong, who had been complaining for a while, changed his tone. The reprimand for the guild leader, who disappears frequently, was enough. However, he was curious about why he went to a tutorial dungeon for beginners.

Up until now, Ki Yoohyun had never been interested in anything, and he seemed not to be interested in anyone.

Then, he suddenly showed interest in something. There is only one reason that he can guess.

“….It’s not like that.”

However, Ki Yoohyun shook his head with an ambiguous expression.

“I heard everything from the twins. You visited the cafe in front of the Dungeon Gate a few days ago.”

“There’s really no secret in this guild.”

“You said there was no abnormal reactions.”

“That’s true.”

Han Yiseong recalled the owner of the cafe at Dungeon Gate 3rd Street, which Ki Yoohyun is paying attention to. He met her when the monster appeared there, but there was no particular impression.

Isn’t it enough to remember that she has a soft and innocent impression? She didn’t look suspicious enough for Ki Yoohyun to care.

“If you have any doubts, I will attach a person.”

“No, don’t do that.”

Ki Yoohyun immediately blocked Han Yiseong. He spoke repeatedly in a strong tone.

“Never, don’t approach her until I tell you otherwise.”

Ki Yoohyun was deep in thought.

Cthugha’s Ring. It’s the first masterpiece that the craftsman Kim Deokyi released after 10 years. Just by holding it in your hand, you can summon the God of another world, Cthugha, so it’s worth calling.

Originally, no matter how advanced a craftsman was, it was an item that humans could not create, but Kim Deokyi miraculously succeeded in making it.

The one and only thing in the world. That ring is unique.

In the pre-regression past he remembers, Cthugha’s ring fell into the hands of the enemy.  This is because the craftsman was deceived by the enemy and handed over the goods.

Ki Yoohyun knew that the craftsman, Kim Deokyi, was secretly visiting Hunter Market that day. So, he went to meet her.

He wasn’t trying to get the ring. It was an unnecessary item for him who had already made a contract with another God. He was just trying to warn her to beware of those who seek the ring.

However, when Ki Yoohyun arrived, the craftsman had already left, and the ring had fallen into Kwon Rieul’s hands.

“You bought a good item.”
“What?”

That ridiculous look. She didn’t even seem to know what Cthugha’s ring was.

It’s not known why the craftsman hid her identity and opened a consignment shop in Hunter Market, or why she handed over the ring to her. It’s no use to ponder about someone who originally has a mischievous personality.

But since Kwon Rieul became the owner of the ring, he needed to know about her. Ki Yoohyun came up with a suitable excuse and entered the tutorial dungeon with Kwon Rieul, and used his skill.

‘Abyssal Gaze.’

The Abyssal Gaze was a skill to read a Hunter’s information. He can’t read opponents stronger than him, but at least in Korea, there is no such person.

Depending on the result, he even decided to get rid of her straight away from the tutorial dungeon.

By the way.

Name: Kwon Rieul
Class: ██ ██ (F) (Lv. 2)
Health 100/100, Energy 100/100
Strength: 8, Intelligence: 12, Agility: 9, Luck: 12
Achievements: ¾ÆÁÖ °·ÂÇÑ ±â´ÉÀ» °¡Á
ø ÇÁ Î±× ¡¹Ö ¾
……
———END———

Judging by her low status, Kwon Rieul’s statement as a non-combatant is probably true. However, the class was block-processed and the letters were broken, so it could not be read properly.

It was the first time a result like this appeared.

James’ survival, Cthugha’s ring, skill error….

Is this all a coincidence?

No way. Ki Yoohyun doesn’t believe in coincidence. All the signs, and his senses, were directed at Kwon Rieul. She’s obviously hiding something.

So is this a positive or negative variable? He’ll have to wait and see.

‘I’ll have to keep an eye on her from now on.’

If he becomes sure that it’s a risk factor later, it is not too late to remove it then.

But….

“I’ll make you a nice cup of coffee.”

Those words were expected in a pure sense.

Meanwhile, Han Yiseong was thinking of a completely different idea when he watched Ki Yoohyun.

‘Did I just point out the wrong place?’

He thought that Ki Yoohyun was concerned about the cafe in front of the dungeon gate only because there was something suspicious about it. But, instead of putting a watch on it, he ordered to ‘never approach her‘.

Furthermore, he has been thinking to himself just now and even gave a faint smiled.

It’s like….

Come to think of it, the cafe owner and Ki Yoohyun are about the same age. 25-year-old Ki Yoohyun and 23-year-old Kwon Rieul. A young man and woman, only two years apart.

The melancholy impression of her chestnut brown hair must be attractive.

When he removed the prejudice that one side was Ki Yoohyun, the No. 1 S-class hunter, there was no better picture than this.

‘I didn’t notice!’

Han Yiseong, someone who has been married for 5 years and a fan of We Got Married, looked at Ki Yoohyun with affectionate eyes.

Ki Yoohyun was awakened and became a Hunter when he was 13 years old. The first and strongest S-class.

The process has never been smooth. The hardships ran through his mind.

When Ki Yoohyun was 15, Han Yiseong founded a guild and entrusted the guild leader position to Ki Yoohyun.

It was not that Han Yiseong had great ambitions.

The boy at the time seemed to have no interest in anything. He needed no one and didn’t care about anyone. There was only darkness in the silent eyes that stared at him.

It was an appropriate image for the strongest S-class hunter, but if left alone, it seemed like the boy would soon die somewhere.

For that reason, he created a guild. Because the boy needed a place where he could take a breathe and put his trust.

Gradually, Ki Yoohyun regained his smile and seemed to feel relaxed.

…. that’s what it looked like.

Even so, Han Yiseong knew. There was no change from the time he looked at the remains of the expressionless face monster. There is something terrifying inside that people like him can’t even imagine.

But now Ki Yoohyun showed the most lively figure of himself that Han Yiseong has ever seen. His black eyes are gleaming with light.

Indeed, it has already been five years since Ki Yoohyun became an adult.

The boy with black sunken eyes is really old enough to look elsewhere now.

“Guild leader, do you have any intention of revealing your identity?”

Feeling the weightlessness of the years, Han Yiseong asked. Ki Yoohyun slowly shook his head.

“No … not yet.”

Well, they haven’t even become close yet. If he reveals his identity this early, the other person will feel burdened.

‘As you said, I will never disturb you, so fighting.’

Having made such an absurd misunderstanding, Han Yiseong decided to watch Ki Yoohyun with warm eyes.

[Next]

Translator’s Corner:

I hope you guys don’t get bored because the plot somehow feels slow-paced … well, I really like this story because it can be included to the healing genre LOL the story is nice and the plot doesn’t give me too much stress.

Oh … and, which one do you like more between ‘Ultimate Gate‘ and ‘Ultimate Door‘? I used “gate” before because it seems more suitable for a hunterverse story like this, but lately I got tempted by the word “door” too.